Bittersweet
by Ashtree1165
Summary: The Doc's feeling ill, and with his Ponds visiting family, the TARDIS feels the need to watch after her Thief by taking him somewhere she knows he'll be safe. In this case, it's the Torchwood Hub, and one Jack Harkness. NO SLASH. ONESHOT


**I was at Nebraska Furniture Mart and they were playing series 5 of Doctor Who in the T.V. area, and then I for some reason thought of Jack. I was inspired. Thus, this was born. Hope you like it:) If not, sucks for you.**

**NO Slash. Just friendship and bromance. Because we all know Jack loves the Doctor. Plus they're too cute together to not have bromance.****  
**

**Bittersweet:**

* * *

The Doctor sat quietly on the worn captains chair in the eerily quiet TARDIS console room.

Alone again.

He'd dropped the Ponds off in Leadworth for a short vacation with Amy's parents. The Doctor had to admit he was a bit lonely without his favourite newlyweds hanging around to keep him company, but he couldn't blame them. Amy could only faintly remember the lonely childhood she would have had, the one with the cracks eating away at her memories, and she still couldn't shake the faint feeling that she didn't know her parents well enough.

So when Rory suggested they go back home for a bit, the Doctor was happy to oblige. Amy invited him to tag along, but he didn't want to be a bother. Amy insisted that was a load of bull, that she would be more than happy to have him there. But he still declined, letting her have her alone time with her mum and dad. But now, sitting in the silence with only his ever loyal TARDIS, he was lonely.

He found it a bit unnerving to be all by himself in the massive time machine. It happened very rarely these days, and he could sense the TARDIS's annoyance with having no one to look after her brilliant Time Lord.

Figuring he had some time to kill, the Doctor undid his bow tie and spread out on the old chair. Rubbing his temples to ease the growing headache that just recently decided to assault his brilliant mind.

The chair was by far not the most comfortable piece of furniture on the ancient ship, but he was simply to worn out to be bothered with moving. He was simply exhausted. A feeling he was not accustomed to.

Closing his eyes, he for once felt grateful for the Ponds not being there. He didn't like for them to see him when he wasn't feeling his one hundred percent. They'd only want to help, true, but they shouldn't have to. That was HIS job. He was the protector, the Doctor, the one who was supposed to watch THEIR backs. Not the other way around.

He was out, catching up on some well needed sleep, within a matter of seconds. Lightly snoring in his slumber. Silently praying the memories of the Time War would refrain from assaulting him in his time of vulnerability.

Sensing her Thief's discomfort, the TARDIS's controls began to whirl indecisively. Searching for someplace where he'd be safe to rest.

* * *

Jack sighed and rest his head in his hands. To say he was having a long day would be a very massive understatement. Especially taking into consideration he rarely slept and hadn't done so in at least six weeks. Making the past six weeks all one long strung out day to him.

He was all alone in the Hub. Ianto had tried staying late again, but after the long day they all experienced, Jack sent him on home insisting he would want his sleep if he wanted in on what Jack had planned for them tomorrow night. He said it with a mischievous wink anil all just for effect. In all truth, the guy was a bit clingy, not that Jack minded a whole lot. Especially when he brought him endless coffee, and boy was Ianto's coffee good. As were numerous other things Ianto could do but that wasn't important right now.

What was important was keeping the new alien they captured in check. It was a noisy little bastard that hadn't shut up for hours. Just screeched and scratched against the walls of its holding cell annoyingly.

But now, everything was quiet. Everything was calm. Words he very rarely associated with Cardiff. Or Earth these days. The 21st century was very active with aliens. And to think, it had only just begun. That thought gave him the mother of all headaches.

The peace and quiet that took months to find was rudely disturbed by a sudden whirling, sending papers flying off desk in every which way. A sound Jack would never forget and heard ringing in his ears every time he closed his eyes. It was an interruption he could never complain about.

Within seconds the familiar blue box appeared before his eyes, sitting smack dab in the centre of Torchwood headquarters as the whirling came to a draw. The small light on top flashing with vigour.

Jack nearly flew from his seat, a massive shit eating grin plastered to his face. Looking remarkably like a young boy on Christmas morning as he approached the old police box. He sure felt like one too.

He excitedly knocked on the wooden door before attempting to open it.

Locked.

Damn! He should have known, the Doctor always kept the TARDIS doors locked. "Doctor!" He called, "hay Doc open up!"

Before he got another word out, the double wooden doors opened with a swish, stopping at half mass. Curiosity gripped him, he gently pushed them the rest of the way and took a step inside. An eerie feeling swept over Jack as he took in the unfamiliar interior of the place he once loved. It didn't feel like he'd hoped, it felt almost like intruding.

He briefly wandered if this could be a different Time Lord's TARDIS. Only to abandon the thought there on after. The Doctor had already told him the sad tale that was the fate of Gallifrey and all it's proud people. Therefore, there was no possible way in all the universes for this to belong to anyone but the Doctor.

His Doctor.

So where was the legendary man in question?

Jack hesitantly entered the TARDIS, gently closing the doors behind him. Glancing around the dimly lit console room, he carefully bound up the steps two at a time. Jack was frozen where he stood as he saw the sleeping figure sprawled out on the old captain's chair. The one thing Jack recognized, the familiar sight putting his nerves at ease a bit.

Jack was positive he'd never seen this guy before. Or should he say kid? He couldn't be more than thirty. Jack's guess would be 27, tops. Though you never really knew huh? And the mop of chocolaty brown hair on his head was only making him look even younger.

As he approached the sleeping kid, he couldn't help but notice the rather pale pallor of his skin and the short, hitched breaths. He didn't look all that good. Jack assumed he wasn't feeling well, that would be the only excuse he could think up for falling asleep on such a stiff and uncomfortable sofa.

Jack gently gripped the man's shoulder and gave it a jerk. "Hay, kid," he said softly, "wake up."

* * *

The Doctor groaned as he was jolted from his not so pleasant, nightmare ridden rest. He faintly registered that he'd broken out in a cold sweat while asleep.

God, he needed a vacation. And some real rest, he was good and truly exhausted. Blinking bleary eyes, the Doctor glancing around for what must have woke him up.

"Hay, you alright?" Jack asked him.

The Doctor rubbed his eyes and yawned widely, "Yeah Jack, I'm good," he replied groggily with a dismissive wave.

Wait, wait, and wait. "Jack?!" How'd he get here?

"Um, yes? Have we met?" He questioned with a raised, suspicious eyebrow. The guy didn't look familiar... unless...

"Jack, it's me," The Doctor explained with a small amused smile.

Jack wrinkled his eyebrows a bit confused and a bit surprised. "Doctor?"

"Who else would be on my TARDIS?" The Doctor laughed, breaking an all out grin.

Jack shook his head and plopped down beside his unfamiliar friend in defeat. This didn't seem right, he just saw the Doctor not too long ago. He, himself and Martha just encountered the Master only awhile back. True it was a whole year for him, but no one else knew that. Hell, his team still hadn't the slightest clue of to where he'd been. Didn't matter though, what did was that the Doctor was here. In front of him looking like an ill child.

When the hell did he regenerate? He was really getting annoyed with him looking different with every encounter.

The Doctor quickly caught on to Jack's train of thought, causing himself to worry just a bit. "Jack."

Jack looked over to the Doctor.

"I don't really, um," The Doctor sighed and dragged a rough hand across his haggard and tired face. "How long?"

"A few weeks, maybe six. Two months tops." Jack explained a bit hesitantly.

The Doctor froze, eyes widening a fraction of an inch. But never the less, Jack noticed. "Two months?" He repeated, glancing side long at the man beside him.

Jack nodded. Something was wrong, he could feel it.

"Jack I haven't seen you for years." The Doctor explained.

Jack narrowed his eyes. "How... How old are you?"

"Nine hundred and thirty." The Doc said simply. No hesitation needed.

Jack shook his head; he hadn't seen the Doctor since he was nine hundred and six...

Damn.

And that's when it hit him. This wasn't his Doctor. HIS Doctor was long gone, he may never see him again. In fact he was positive he wouldn't. But this was still THE Doctor, a man he would always love to the end of the world and back. And in Jack's case that wasn't just some stupid metaphor.

This was a whole new Doctor. A positively adorable bow tie wearing Doctor. Jack smirked, he could work with that.

Suddenly, without any warning, Jack reached across and put a hand on the Doctor's forehead, startling the Doctor. "You're warm," he observed.

The Doctor sighed and gave Jack a small smile. "Yeah, I haven't been feeling my best," he admitted. "I would usually have the Ponds but they're in Leadworth visiting family," he said sounding a bit annoyed.

"Who?"

"Amy and Rory Pond," he explained. Lighting up at just the mention of his best friend. "They're the only friends THIS body's had the pleasure of having. You'd love 'em Jack." The Doctor said, his eyelids beginning to droop.

"You should lay down, rest." Jack told him, keeping only the Doctor's health in mind.

"Well that's exactly what I was doing before you so rudely woke me," he said pulling a face. "How did you even get in here?"

Jack shrugged. "The TARDIS must have sensed you were feeling sick. She just showed up in the Hub and let me in," he explained.

The Doctor nodded. He knew he could always trust her to look after him. His ever faithful companion.

Jack clapped his hands together and jumped to his feet, effectively gaining the other's attention. "Now about that rest, perhaps somewhere more comfortable would be preferred."

The Doctor nodded and rose to his feet. "I agree. A nice, soft bed sounds positively divine right about now." He admitted, stretching out his stiff limbs with a yawn.

"Lead the way Doc," Jack smiled.

The Doctor rolled his eyes and headed for the nearest hallway. "Don't call me 'Doc', do I look like Elmer Fudd to you."

Jack opened his mouth to answer but was instantly cut off, "don't answer that!"

Jack just smiled -amused- and followed after his friend. And that's what he was. He may not be the same man, but he was still the best of them all.

The Doctor flopped down on his large bed, arms out stretched. Jack took this time to briefly examine the Time Lords bed room. Surprisingly, it was extremely basic. Bed, wardrobe, desk. Hmm... It was a rather impressive bed though. A massive ancient wooden one that jack could only assume came all the way from Gallifrey. The matching wardrobe and desk were just as magnificent, beautifully intricate designs carved into the beautiful dark wood.

Jack smiled down at the young looking Doctor that had curled up beneath his blankets like a small child. "When's the last time you slept anyway?" Jack asked softly. "Not counting just a few minutes ago mind you."

The Doctor's reply was quiet and muffled beneath the thick comforter, "a few months. Maybe four." Even the Doctor was surprised by how little sleep he day in his days prior to the Time War

Jack's eyebrows shot up. "And I thought I had it rough," he said under his breath. "You still got a med bay on this lovely ship of yours?" He asked in a louder voice directed to the resident alien. Though Jack supposed he'd be an alien as well, he was from the 51st century.

"She'll show you the way," the Doctor replied, his hand twisting around in the air flippantly.

Jack nodded and went on his way, allowing the TARDIS to guide him.

* * *

The Doctor moaned as he was stirred from his sleep for the second time that day. Something that usually never happened had now occurred repeatedly and in the same day.

"Hay Doc, come on. I found you some meds, now wake up. I need you to take these," Jack said willing the Doctor to do as he asked.

The Doctor moaned and rolled over onto his back, blinking up at the familiar face. "Alright, alright, I'm up."

Jack handed the pills over to the Doctor along with a glass of water which he accepted gratefully. After downing both, he handed the glass back to Jack and curled back up into his cocoon of warm, overly plush blankets.

"You gonna be alright?" He asked before the Doctor could drift off once again.

The Doctor hummed in response, "I'll be fine, just a small Time Lord version of the common cold. Thank you Jack, you don't have to stay I understand. Responsibilities and all that, you have things to do."

Jack shook his head and leapt up onto the bed beside the Doctor. Surprising the younger man, because yes, the Doctor may be an ancient living legend, but Jack was still older than him, having spent all those years stuck in Cardiff looking for the Doctor and waiting for him to come back.

And now, here he was, lying beside the Doctor in the Doctor's own bed. A place he only dreamt of being. He could feel the Doctor tense as he curled up beside him. "Relax Doc," Jack smirked. "I'm only here for comfort, I promise I won't try and 'make a move' on you or anything."

The Doctor simply surprised Jack by snuggling and curling closer, resting his head on the man's shoulder. The corners of the Doctor's lips curled up in a small content smile. He had to admit, Jack made an excellent pillow. And he knew he could trust him to the end of the world. And he had. But what counted, was that he knew he could again. Jack was a man of his word and a very good one at that.

"Comfortable?" Jack mused.

"Stop it," the Doctor berated. Doing his best to hide his small but genuine smile.

"Yeah, you haven't changed a bit," Jack laughed to himself.

In that moment, Jack promised himself and the Doctor that he wouldn't leave that space ship-time machine till the Doctor was feeling completely one hundred percent once again. He could never abandoned the Doctor in his time of need.

Not his Doctor.

* * *

**If you liked it, then review;)**

**Also, I've realised that the Doctor used to sleep regularly in the classic series, before the Time War. Yet nowadays he never seems to. I imagine its due to nightmares but still, the guy should get some rest.**


End file.
